vB Support will not help you to use Impex to upgrade, or downgrade, your support. Using Impex in that way is not supported. Period.

I know I haven't upgraded my site because it is heavily modified. I'd love to upgrade to the Suite, but I just don't have the time to go and upgrade my custom tracker code.

Personally, I think 3.x looks very dated. It only fills half of my screen, for example. It's back from the 1024x768 era, and looks like some other (free) products.

Sites probably haven't updated because "if its not broke, don't fix it" 3.x was a stable product, back in its peak time, several years ago. They may also have a lot of customizations, don't want to pay for the current version, or perhaps the staff that installed it for them is no longer part of the picture (they may lack the technical resources or courage to do it).

I hope 3.x is sent off into the sunset soon, so they can focus more on future products 4.2 and 5.0. It seems like many developers have already done so.

I agree with some other posts that some new and innovative ideas/leadership are needed, to make the product stay at the cutting edge. They seem to be treading water at the moment, but the 4.x product is rock solid reliable and does the job well.

Keep up the great work!

Rhody

PS: vbulletin.org should probably be updated, to set the example :)

berryracer you have posted some very interesting questions, in particular the comment regarding the security aspects of 3.8.7 versus 4.XX

I notice that bulletin.org is showing 3.6.12 on their pages.

My question regarding upgrading from an earlier version of vBulletin, namely 3.6.8 is do I have to upgrade all the way through to 4.XX or can I stop at 3.8.7 with the upgrade process to preserve the original templates.

I've added things over the years and the more I look at what is involved the more I shy away from doing anything!

So ignoring the improvements to user interface in vB4, can vB3 be made as secure without all the major upheaval of moving from vB3 to vB4?

Yes you can, there is two separate packages in your vbulletin members account , one for the latest version of vb3 and the other VB4, just download the one you want.

There will still be templates that will need editing from 3.6 - 3.8 but it will retain structure and you should be able to upgrade with out much of an issue.

There is also security patches for older versions to make them just as secure, security is only as strong as the latest patches and of course your host.

It's not like vb3 will leave you less secure.

As long as you are running the latest version of vb3

I am running the latest vBulletin v3.8.7 which has all the security patches

So if you want vb4, install 4.11.1 Patch level 1. If you want vb3, install v3.8.7. as simple as that

IMHO the vb3 is just much much more stable than vb4, period.
The customizations is also the king. For forums with just a few modification like installed popular addons or just a custom theme it's not a problem to upgrade. But when a forum is heavily modified and there is plenty of custom code implemented in original vb files too, rewritten functions, custom written mods etc the upgrading would be a huge challenge.
And tell me what vb4 has that vb3 doesn't or cannot have with mods on?
Subject of vb3 vs vb4 has been discussed hundreds of times anyway just google it.

I run a big board and am still on vb3. I speak to a lot of other big board owners. Most "would not touch vb4 with a ten feet pole". (exact quote)
vb4 offers nothing of interest that makes it worth while to migrate to that. It does have:

• 800 bugs. Even though there were thousands more, 800 bugs is still an insane amount.
• an aborted rewrite. Meaning spaghetti code and low coding quality.
• looks just as outdated as vb3. It can not exactly compete with XF or IPB. lol.
• the vbCMS suicide issue
• various unwanted addons no one asked for. (which can be disabled)

So with these handicaps, what does it offer to make it worthwhile to upgrade?
Currently nothing that I see within vbulletin.

What is worth considering is certain addons only available for vb4.

I run a couple of vb4's and I like each release more and more BUT my main forum is on 3.8 and I've no immediate plans to upgrade (even though I was in the vb4 presale rush.) I'm hopeful of a summer upgrade but I was hopeful last summer too.

*sigh*

1. No it doesnt (as has been pointed out to you time and time again).
2. I'll grant you its a bit spaghetti in places, but most users dont care about the code. Calling it "Low Quality" is just pure rubbish.
3. Thats pure personal opinion, not fact.
4. What ? Talk about being a drama queen, Suicide ? I dont think so.
5. The fact you dont care for them is again purely personal preference, not fact.

Again and again this question:rolleyes: Finally it became boring. Everybody has it own reasons to use one version or the other. All reasons are respectfull but ...follow your heart as a well known slongan says.
The company gives you the freedom to download any version you want. If you're expecting to find the right answer here, you're wasting your time. There is no right answer.

Chris